Sheng Xiangdong had also been preoccupied lately, traveling abroad to attend to matters related to the overseas branch for several days, leaving Alex to enjoy a rare respite. Taking advantage of the weekend's leisure, she intended to indulge in a much-needed slumber, only to be abruptly awoken by the jarring ringtone of her mobile phone.
Groggily reaching for the device, her eyes widened upon seeing the label 'my love.' A jolt of discomfort coursed through her, swiftly dispelled as she realized it was merely Alex's affectionate nickname for Ethan, complete with a special ringtone.
Gathering her composure, Alex answered the call.
"Mr. Keller, may I inquire about the purpose of this call?"
"Alex, are you free this afternoon? I would like to meet with you." Ethan's voice was polite yet intimate, addressing her by her name despite her reluctance to see him.
"I'm not available."
"I understand if you still harbor resentment towards me, but I have something truly important to discuss with you. Please, could we meet?"
Ethan's earnest tone suggested the weight of his words, prompting Alex to pause before responding. "When and where?"
"Two o'clock this afternoon, at the café."
After ending the call, Alex's first order of business was to alter Ethan's contact label from 'my love' to 'Scoundrel Keller,' before proceeding with her morning routine.
As the appointed hour arrived, Alex found Ethan already awaiting her at the café, which had been tastefully adorned for the occasion. He stood alone, holding a bouquet of red roses as she entered.
Alex's brow furrowed slightly as she regarded the flowers, declining to accept them. Narrowing her eyes, she queried him in a stern tone. "Mr. Keller, what is the meaning of this display? And what is so urgent that you summoned me here?"
Ethan, somewhat embarrassed by her rejection, set the roses aside and met her scrutinizing gaze with a low voice. "Alex, I've broken up with Tian Tian."
The revelation stunned Alex.
Ethan, who had seemed so deeply in love with Tian Tian, had ended their relationship so abruptly?
She hadn't anticipated this turn of events, recognizing that while the protagonist's charm was unparalleled, Ethan and Tian Tian's bond hadn't yet weathered enough adversity to become unbreakable due to Alex's intervention.
Though shocked, Alex maintained a placid facade, uttering a mere "Oh" in response.
Ethan's emotions were a tumultuous mix of disappointment, sadness, frustration, and regret as he beheld her unflappable demeanor. He felt as though he were being torn apart.
Tian Tian's constant complaints about Alex's aloofness had fueled his belief that she was playing hard to get, still harboring deep feelings for him.
However, reality had proven him wrong. After their breakup, Alex had all but vanished from his life, save for their encounters at the Taekwondo Dojo and the gala.
Upon returning to the Keller residence post-breakup, he'd hired a private investigator to track her movements, discovering that her days were spent solely between the office and fitness centers, with Sheng Xiangdong frequently in her company.
The discovery had left a sour taste in his mouth.
"Alex, I know you resent me for leaving you, and I'm sorry."
Alex's eyebrow arched, regarding him with amusement, yet remaining silent.
Her indifference unnerved Ethan, yet he summoned the courage to continue. "Alex, I was wrong back then. I finally see now that my heart belongs to you. Please forgive me and give us another chance. Let's start anew."
He watched her anxiously, his eyes filled with hope.
"But didn't you say, 'Even if I begged you on my knees, you wouldn't take me back'?" Alex pondered aloud, her confusion evident.
Ethan's impulsive breakup with Tian Tian and subsequent grand gesture for reconciliation struck Alex as bizarre, yet she remained indifferent, knowing that Ethan, even if rekindling his feelings for 'her,' remained her adversary.
"That was just an angry remark," Ethan stammered, his pride wounded.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, Mr. Keller," Alex said, her tone dismissive. "But everything I said to you was true. I genuinely feel nothing for you anymore."
Ethan's face contorted in a kaleidoscope of emotions, and after a protracted silence, he insisted, "No, you still have feelings for me. Otherwise, why would you ignore Sheng Xiangdong?"
"Mr. Keller, you're imagining things. To me, you're now but a stranger, inconsequential." Alex sneered, her contempt evident.
"No, I refuse to believe it. There must still be something in your heart for me," Ethan insisted, his words lacking conviction as he gazed into her unwavering eyes.
"Believe what you will, Mr. Keller. I've said all I need to. I have other matters to attend to. Goodbye." With those words, Alex turned to leave, Ethan instinctively reaching out to detain her. But at the memory of her ferocity, his hand jerked back as if burned.
Satisfied, Alex departed, leaving Ethan rooted to the spot, his heart heavy as he watched her back disappear. Finally, he managed to choke out a question.
"Can we really never be together again?"
Alex halted, turning to regard Ethan intently. Just as he began to hope for a change of heart, she spoke, her lips forming two decisive words.
"Never."
His heart shattered into a million pieces.
Staring at Alex's resolute departure, Ethan clutched his chest, gasping for breath, his pain all the more acute knowing it was self-inflicted. How could he have been so blind to let her go?
He stood frozen in the café until a familiar figure entered—Tian Tian, seeking employment after losing her job at the hotel and her relationship with Ethan. Ethan had offered her a well-suited job as compensation, but she'd refused, determined to prove her love was genuine, untainted by material gain. Ethan, however, had left her coldly, never to return.